Isotta Fraschini Hypercar: Is it all over?

[Mike E]

Newly named Isotta Fraschini Duqueine Team completes 2 days testing in Portugal. Alejandro Garcia gets his first run in the car.

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/...t-estoril.html

[veeten]

And he gets an early Christmas present, A signed contract as the third driver.

https://www.sportscar365.com/lemand/...-estoril-test/

[joeb]

Homologation? Check!

We officially have a new hypercar!

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2024/...ologation.html

[Adam43]

[FIRE]

Looking forward to see this one on track.

[broadrun96]

Hopefully better fire proofing than our previous little team who could. Are they more SGR or ByKolles

[Mike E]

Driver line up completed by....

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...th-serravalle/

[Simmi]

Well done if you had Antonio Serravalle pegged for this seat.

I'm pulling for this team, but on paper the lineup doesn't appear to be at the level required.

[Mike E]

One Platinum and two Silvers. Both Silvers are WEC rookies, and the Platinum has one WEC season under his belt, in 2013. On the other hand, the Platinum finished third in GTE Am in that season, including a win at Le Mans.



At least Garcia is getting some LMP2 seat time ahead of the WEC season, but they will be on a steep learning curve in a complex car. Not helped by the recent switch from Vector Sport to Duqueine.


You have to assume the young guys are bringing funding to the team. It better not roll out in Vanwall colours!

[JoeW04]

Kolles had a better driver line up to be fair.

[Mike E]

But what does this mean?

"The full three driver lineup is set to be confirmed tomorrow and looks certain to see a change from the names so far fielded by the team in preparation for the 2024 season."

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2024/...ver-squad.html

[Coach Ep]

Kinda weird Bonanomi isn't part of the racing line-up?

[veeten]

The problem was he couldn't keep them, due to multiple issues with the car. From overheating powertrains to braking meltdowns, when it wasn't being overhauled by the rest of the Hypercar grid. Uncompetitive is the most kind thing that one could say about the ByKolles/Vanwall.

With the Isotta Fraschini, there is honest hope in a brand new car, built to the present rules. The drivers and team should be able to compete, even if it's just behind the lead cars.

[Matador]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Kinda weird Bonanomi isn't part of the racing line-up?

IKR? At least have him in the squad. At this rate IF will be out next year to make room for another squad/ second car from an existing single car entry.

[TF110]

Is this a pay-driver type situation? Do any of these guys come with financial backing?

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by Simmi

on paper the lineup doesn't appear to be at the level required.

I don't like being mean about drivers, but I think your comment is putting it mildly.
I know we expect this car to be at the back of the Hypercar field, but surely, just be virtue of being in the top class they should have been able to find a better line-up?


There's nothing 'wrong' with Vernay, though a driver that's done TCR for the last few years wouldn't have been my first choice, but the other two? I don't understand it.

[v8supes]

Its hard to say that the team have financial difficulties given how much testing they have done but that driver lineup isnt really convincing me. I mean Serravalle has just 2 podiums in his entire career, both coming in the VP Sportscar challenge.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by TF110

Is this a pay-driver type situation? Do any of these guys come with financial backing?

Has to be.

If the Peugeot programme had continued into 2012 I think there's a decent chance Vernay was getting a seat. But that's over a decade ago.

I don't think anyone was expecting them to poach Mike Conway or lure Seb Vettel, but the lack of any sort of representative driver means we're not going to ultimately know how good the car is. Let alone how the team is supposed to push the car forward across a season.

[PhilipR]

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...schini-lineup/

Garcia replaced already!!

[Aysedasi]

Strange things going on there, presumably with sums of money changing hands to get an F4 driver with very little sportscar experience into a WEC Hypercar.... But a silver driver.....?

[PhilipR]

I do not want to talk down on the drivers as I do not know them and might turn out to be really quick and future WEC stars in the same way of Nico Varone

However at the moment this line-up does not inspire confidence based on their experience. Glickenhaus and Vanwall had a more experienced line up and there are a few Glickenhaus drivers who one would think would be gold for Isotta as they can bring experience with them

So far the Isotta programme looked really professional and great with all the testing they have been doing. But since the issues with vector and now the driver choice makes you wonder if there are some issues there

Hopefully these drivers turn out to be good and will be competitive in races

[Gingers4Justice]

I think it's a gamble worth taking. In the absence of funding - or available drivers anyway - surely it's worth taking a punt on a potential "super silver" who might extend the life of the programme?

I'd feel very differently if it they were flogging seats to middle-aged bronze drivers.

[KA]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Has to be.

If the Peugeot programme had continued into 2012 I think there's a decent chance Vernay was getting a seat. But that's over a decade ago.

I don't think anyone was expecting them to poach Mike Conway or lure Seb Vettel, but the lack of any sort of representative driver means we're not going to ultimately know how good the car is. Let alone how the team is supposed to push the car forward across a season.

They're certainly putting a lot of responsibility on Vernay's shoulders as the only experienced driver in the team, bearing in mind that, as you say, it's a decade since he had any mileage in a prototype, and in recent years has been very much a FWD touring car specialist.

[Mike E]

Looking at the Hypercar entry list, these guys suddenly look very vulnerable. In a sea of factory teams, where even the underdog privateers are Jota, AF Corse and Proton...
I hope they achieve respectability. I do wish them well but they surely have a mountain to climb.


Bennett brings sponsorship from Amerasian Frangrance Research, which appears to be through family connections.

[Steve McQ]

Bennett laptimes were pretty decent in Asian LMS P2, it seems a little step forward compared to Garcia IMO but still not the Hypercar caliber. Duqueine filled the seats as they would do it in P2.